Six pupils die in Kakamega road crash

Residents survey the crash scene at Chimoyi along Malaba-Eldoret Highway where the driver of a lorry ferrying stones lost control and rammed into a tractor which then smashed into St Mukasa Primary School pupils who were going back to school from lunch. [PHOTO: BENJAMIN SAKWA/STANDARD]

By LUKE ANAMI and GRACE WEKESA

Kakamega, Kenya: Eight people, among them six pupils of Chimoi Primary School in Kakamega County died in a grisly road accident along Eldoret-Webuye Road when a lorry lost control and rammed into them.

Five died on the spot during the Wednesday accident and the rest while undergoing treatment at Webuye District Hospital.

Among the dead were six pupils who were walking on the left side of the road back to school from their lunch break. The Standard independently verified that two of them were sisters, 12-year-old Nancy Naliaka, a Standard Five pupil, and her sister, Linet Nasimiyu, nine, who was in Standard Four.

Their mother, Gladys Mudenyo, who was at the Webuye hospital, was not able to talk to us as she was overwhelmed with grief.

The accident happened while the head teacher, Paul Munialo Makokha, was away. A teacher who was at the accident scene told The Standard they will only be able to identify the names of the other pupils once they have confirm them with parents.

The accident occurred between Chimoi Market and Kaburengu-Kakamega-Webuye junction, when a lorry ferrying stones for construction was overtaking a tractor ferrying cane.

Both were travelling towards Webuye Town when the lorry’s brakes failed, causing the driver to lose control. As a result, the vehicle rammed into the tractor, which ran over the pupils.

BLACK SPOT

Confirming the incident, Webuye Base Commander Abubakar Mwawasha said the accident scene is a black spot where many deaths have occurred before.

“The driver of the lorry lost control when the brakes failed and it rammed into the tractor. The driver of the tractor is among those who died,” Mwawasha said.

“A motorcycle rider was also involved in the accident. This place is a black spot.”

“The pupils were walking alongside the road when they made their death,” Mwawasha explained.

The police said four pupils and the motorcycle rider died on the spot.

There was a mild traffic jam at the scene of the accident as vehicles were forced to approach with caution because of the cane scattered on the road. 

Bodies were sprawled all over in what could only be described as a scene from a horror movie.

“Despite the unfortunate accident, I was impressed by wananchi because they called the ambulances immediately, something that could save the lives of those injured,” Mwawasha said.

He was referring to the ambulances recently launched by the County Government of Kakamega, which rushed the injured to hospital.

Dr Bernard Owino of Webuye District Hospital said five of the injured were in critical condition. “The five were brought in with serious head injuries. They include one female and four male patients,” he said.